The Rock Shop

The accidental discovery of the Rock Shop was spurred by our general dislike of crowded sport climbing cliffs and a sense of adventure. On 4th of July we were left tour guide-less at Wild Iris due to an unforeseen health complication of a cat - and while we enjoyed the momentary novelty of slick yet somehow sharp limestone pockets mercilessly digging into our tendons - we searched for an alternative. A quick trip into the Lander gear store landed us with a small guidebook to the area’s surrounding bouldering.

The next day, we headed to the Rock Shop with little to no expectations, and to our delight found a polar opposite experience to the previous day - boulders and solitude.

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Flash forward to the year 2020…

We made our way back to The Rock Shop knowing it would provide a place for us to climb and remain socially distant. While I did not come away with the projects I had hoped to complete, the experience was once again peaceful and rejuvenating. Here is a video of a fun climb called Gem Thief.

I find it rather strange that in today’s age of growing popularity for the great outdoors, getting out doesn’t necessarily mean getting away. It’s refreshing to find a quality crag that offers a moment of quiet (and no phone service). I’d be a bit more hesitant to post about such a low-key climbing area if this blog were read by anyone other than me mum. Anyway, if you’re thinking of checking out the Rock Shop, don’t 😉

P.S. the cat is fine